amiable
17 uses
Martin, in ... his distaste for the amiable dullness of Irving Watters, turned to the roaring Clif as to something living and experimenting.
amiable = friendly, agreeable, and likable
Word Statistics
| Book | 17 uses |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 4 |
amorous
2 uses
"You bet I will!" said Martin, according to the rules for amorous discourse in the University of Winnemac.
amorous = romantic
Definition
Generally amorous means:romantic or sexual
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 21 |
ascetic
4 uses
he could not forget the cool ascetic hours in the laboratory
ascetic = relating to self-denial (of comfort and luxury)
Definition
Generally ascetic means:someone who practices self-denial (often to encourage spiritual growth); or relating to such self-denial
or:
severely plain (without decoration)
or:
severely plain (without decoration)
Word Statistics
| Book | 4 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 2 |
assert
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
asserted her opinion that...
Gottlieb had asserted that they produced doubtful vaccines,
asserted = said (something is true — especially something disputed)
Definition
Generally this sense of assert means:to say that something is true — especially something disputed
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 100 |
| 1st use | Chapter 13 |
bacteria
33 uses
you may have hit on the supreme way to kill pathogenic bacteria.
bacteria = microorganisms (living creatures so small it takes a microscope to see them)
(editor's note: Something that is pathogenic causes disease.)
(editor's note: Something that is pathogenic causes disease.)
Definition
Generally bacteria means:microorganisms (living creatures so small it takes a microscope to see them) that can both cause disease and be beneficial. They are different and larger than viruses.
Word Statistics
| Book | 33 uses |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 3 |
benevolent
8 uses
There was at the time, in certain places, a doubt as to how benevolent the United States had been to its Little Brothers—Mexico, Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua—and the editors and politicians were grateful to Martin for this proof of their sacrifice and tender watchfulness.
benevolent = kind or generous
Definition
Generally benevolent means:kind, generous, or charitable
Word Statistics
| Book | 8 uses |
| Library | 6 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 7 |
denounce
21 uses
Martin hastened to Terry, declaring that he would resign—would denounce— would expose— Yes!
denounce = accuse publicly
Definition
Generally denounce means:to strongly criticize or accuse publicly
or more rarely: to inform against someone (turn someone into the authorities)
or more rarely: to inform against someone (turn someone into the authorities)
Word Statistics
| Book | 21 uses |
| Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 3 |
didactic
1 use
He had in three years of practice already become didactic and incredibly married; he had put on weight and infallibility; and he had learned many new things about which to be dull.
didactic = excessively inclined to instruct
Definition
Generally didactic means:describing something intended to instruct; or someone excessively inclined to instruct
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 20 |
digress
1 use
He could recall nothing save the philosophy of Max Gottlieb, occasional scoldings of Angus Duer, one out of ten among Madeline Fox's digressions, and the councils of Dad Silva which was above the level of Alec Ingleblad's barber-shop.
digressions = verbal wanderings (in various directions)
(editor's note: The suffix "-sions", converts a verb into a plural noun that denotes results of the verb. Typically, there is a slight change in the ending of the root verb, as in discussions from discuss, explosions from explode, and revisions from revise.)
(editor's note: The suffix "-sions", converts a verb into a plural noun that denotes results of the verb. Typically, there is a slight change in the ending of the root verb, as in discussions from discuss, explosions from explode, and revisions from revise.)
Definition
Generally digress means:wander from a direct or straight course — typically verbally
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 16 |
disdain
5 uses
They ignored traffic regulations, they disdained the people, returning from theaters and movies, who dotted the streets which unrolled before the flying gray hood.
disdained = treated as inferior
Definition
Generally disdain means:a lack of respect — often suggesting distaste and an undeserved sense of superiority
or:
to reject as not good enough
or:
to reject as not good enough
Word Statistics
| Book | 5 uses |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 500 |
| 1st use | Chapter 7 |
however
15 uses
1 —12 uses as in:
However much she tried...
And indeed, as Martin met the staff at lunch, Wickett was the only one whom he did not find courteous, however brief their greetings.†
however = regardless of how
Definition
Generally this sense of however means:to whatever degree (regardless of how much; or whatever unspecified amount)
Word Statistics
| Book | 12 uses |
| Library | 4 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 10 |
unquizzed meaning —3 uses
indolent
6 uses
they liked her, the more because she was a heretic whose vices, her smoking, her indolence, her relish of competent profanity, disturbed Mrs. Pickerbaugh and Mrs. Irving Watters.
indolence = laziness
Definition
Generally this sense of indolent means:lazy; disinclined to work
Word Statistics
| Book | 6 uses |
| Library | 2 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 4 |
metropolis
2 uses
Do you think you're going to make strangers believe Wheatsylvania is a metropolis like New York or Jimtown by hanging a dusty rag behind a secondhand tin Lizzie?
metropolis = large city
Definition
Generally metropolis means:city — especially a large city that is considered important
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 15 |
perceive
1 use
1 —1 use as in:
though blind, can perceive light
Martin perceived new avenues of exciting research;
perceived = saw (became aware of or viewed things in a certain way so as to believe)
Definition
Generally this sense of perceive means:to become aware of — especially by using the senses (to see, hear, smell, feel, or taste)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 8 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 26 |
pious (3 meanings)
3 meanings, 9 uses
1 —7 uses as in:
a good, pious woman
God give me a restlessness whereby I may neither sleep nor accept praise till my observed results equal my calculated results or in pious glee I discover and assault my error.
pious = highly religious and highly moral
Definition
Generally this sense of pious means:religious or highly moral
Word Statistics
| Book | 7 uses |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| SAT®* | top 1000 |
| 1st use | Chapter 27 |
2 —1 use as in:
a pious hypocrite
He alleged that he was a licensed pharmacist but he so mangled prescriptions that Martin burst into the store and addressed him piously.
piously = in a self-righteous or holier-than-thou manner
Definition
Generally this sense of pious means:self-righteous (acting as though one is, or believing one is highly moral when it is not true)
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 15 |
3 —1 use as in:
cling to the pious hope
They danced hand in hand about the living-room of the fraternity, piously assuring one another, "He'll use it—it's all right—he'll get through or get hanged!"
piously = clinging to a sincere wish that is highly unlikely
Definition
Generally this sense of pious means:(describing a hope or wish as) sincere, but highly unlikely
Word Statistics
| Book | 1 use |
| Library | 3 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 3 |
pretense
11 uses
He had stopped his pretense of working; he was standing before her, arms akimbo, dark eyes demanding.
pretense = a false appearance or action to help one pretend
Word Statistics
| Book | 11 uses |
| Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 23 |
resolute
10 uses
Clif had risen, not too steadily, though his voice and his eyes were resolute.
resolute = firm in purpose or belief
Word Statistics
| Book | 10 uses |
| Library | 7 uses in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 6 |
vacuous
2 uses
In the study of the profession to which he had looked forward all his life he found irritation and vacuity as well as...
vacuity = lack of intelligent thought
Definition
Generally vacuous means:lacking intelligent thought
Word Statistics
| Book | 2 uses |
| Library | 1 use in 10 avg bks |
| 1st use | Chapter 2 |